Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 2026)

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Monday, December 02, 2024

Sam Lightwing Quartet @ the Moor Club, Heaton Moor - Dec. 1

© Jeff Pritchard
Sam Lightwing (alto/tenor sax); Max Rosen (keys); Peter Hartley (bass);  Calum Montgomery drums.

This was the first appearance at the Moor Club of Sam Lightwing and I am pleased to report he was well received by the audience right from the opening number which was one of my favourites On the Sunny Side of the Street.


He was given great support by Max Rosen, a real whirlwind of a player, who was here recently with Ed Kainyek’s group. Sam brought along his alto sax as well as his tenor but I would have been quite happy if he had just stuck to the tenor as I think the tunes he selected are mainly associated with the larger horn.

You need a few hours practice behind you to tackle tunes like Bolivia and Voyage and it sounds like these young musicians are ones to watch out for to keep the modern jazz flame burning. Playing one of those triangular basses and sounding good on it was Peter Hartley, the son of Paul Hartley the guitarist who also acts as a compere at the Sunday Jazz events. 


The drummer, Calum Montgomery, I don’t know much about apart from him being a friend of Sam’s from when they were at music college. Quite a forceful style of drumming but I liked his brushwork on the Johnny Green ballad Body and Soul.  It seems to be that every gig I go to these days they play that tune, Still, I have no objection. It’s a fantastic tune. My favourite version is by Jimmy Heath on the album Portrait of Heath although  I still like to hear the Coleman Hawkins version. 


Next Sunday night's jazz gig at the Moor Club (Dec. 8) features sax player Alex Clarke, Paul Hartley guitar, Pete Turner bass, and Dave Walsh drums. Mike Farmer

 

On the Sunnyside of the Street; Dolphin Dance; My Favorite Things; Voyage; Bolivia; Moment’s Notice; Recorda-me; Body and Soul; Someday my Prince Will Come; The Glide; Blue Monk.

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